Harish Dureja

Simulation of skin permeability in chitosan membranes

To provide an alternative means of evaluating transdermal drug delivery systems, membranes of chitosan were developed. The membranes were prepared by cast-drying method. The effects of chitosan concentration, sodium tripolyphosphate (NaTPP) concentration and crosslinking (CL) time on flux and lag time were studied using central composite design. It was observed that chitosan membrane at a particular composition simulated the permeation of diclofenac sodium through rat skin The mathematical model developed in the present study can be used to simulate the permeation of drugs through different species of animal skins.

Cosmeceuticals: An emerging concept

The use of cosmeceuticals has drastically risen in recent years. This significantly increases the armamentarium of the clinician in improving the treatment of skin, hair, and other conditions. They are at the juncture where wellness meets beauty and growing use by consumers is indicative of their popularity. This article focuses on skin, hair, and other cosmeceuticals and their regulatory aspects.

Superaugmented eccentric connectivity indices: new-generation highly discriminating topological descriptors for QSAR/QSPR modeling

New-generation highly discriminating topological descriptors, termed superaugmented eccentric connectivity indices (SAξc), have been conceptualized in the present study. The values of SAξc for all the possible structures of three, four, and five vertices were computed using an in-house computer program. The sensitivity to branching, discriminating power, and degeneracy of SAξc were investigated for all the possible structures of three, four, and five vertices and subsequently compared with those of the eccentric and augmented eccentric connectivity indices. The proposed superaugmented eccentric connectivity indices exhibited high sensitivity towards branching, exceptionally high discriminating power, and extremely low degeneracy. The superaugmented eccentric connectivity index-3 (SAξc3) exhibited an exceptionally high discriminating power of > 4000 for all possible structures containing only five vertices. The statistical significance of the proposed indices was investigated using intercorrelation analysis with Wiener’s index; Balaban’s J index (the average distance sum connectivity); the molecular connectivity index; the eccentric connectivity index; and the augmented eccentric connectivity index values. The high sensitivity to branching and exceptionally high discriminating power amalgamated with extremely low degeneracy give these indices vast potential for isomer discrimination, similarity/dissimilarity, drug design, quantitative structure–activity/structure–property relationships, lead optimization, and combinatorial library design.

Recent Patents and Patented Technology Platforms for Pharmaceutical Taste Masking

Taste masking is an important factor in the development of oral dosage forms containing bitter active pharmaceutical ingredients. Currently numerous techniques are being applied to overcome this problem. Realizing this, several researchers and pharmaceutical companies are now engaged in developing novel techniques to address the problem of taste masking evident by numerous patents filed in this area in recent times. In this review the most recent patents for taste masking are discussed and how these patents overcome the limitations of conventional approaches of taste masking is also highlighted. Novel techniques based on some recent patents such as nanohybrid, melt extrusion, non-complex cyclodextrin compositions and off taste masking are providing new realms to taste masking of bitter drugs. The present article also provides an overview of various patented platform technologies based on different techniques/mechanisms employed for taste masking. The unique features and principles of taste-masking approaches used in various patented technologies are also discussed. A better understanding of these new patents and patented technologies will help researchers and pharmaceutical industries to select the appropriate platform, or to develop innovative products with improved taste masking properties.

Classification Models for Safe Drug Molecules

Frequent failure of drug candidates during development stages remains the major deterrent for an early introduction of new drug molecules. The drug toxicity is the major cause of expensive late-stage development failures. An early identification/optimization of the most favorable molecule will naturally save considerable cost, time, human efforts and minimize animal sacrifice. (Quantitative) Structure Activity Relationships [(Q)SARs] represent statistically derived predictive models correlating biological activity (including desirable therapeutic effect and undesirable side effects) of chemicals (drugs/toxicants/environmental pollutants) with molecular descriptors and/or properties. (Q)SAR models which categorize the available data into two or more groups/classes are known as classification models. Numerous techniques of diverse nature are being presently employed for development of classification models. Though there is an increasing use of classification models for prediction of either biological activity or toxicity, the future trend will naturally be towards the development of classification models capable of simultaneous prediction of biological activity, toxicity, and pharmacokinetic parameters so as to accelerate development of bioavailable safe drug molecules.

TOPOCHEMICAL MODELS FOR THE PREDICTION OF LIPOPHILICITY OF 1,3-DISUBSTITUTED PROPAN-2-ONE ANALOGS

In the present study, the relationship between the topochemical indices and log P values of 1,3-disubstituted propan-2-one analogs has been investigated. Three topochemical indices, Wieners topochemical index — a distance-based topochemical descriptor, molecular connectivity topochemical index — an adjacency-based topochemical descriptor, and eccentric connectivity topochemical index — an adjacency-cum-distance-based topochemical descriptor, were used for the present investigation. The values of the Wieners topochemical index, molecular connectivity topochemical index, and eccentric connectivity topochemical index were computed for each of the 45 analogs constituting the data set using an in-house computer program. The predicted log P values using leave-one-out (LOO) procedure exhibited a q2 of 0.72, 0.70, and 0.71 with reported log P values for Wieners topochemical index, molecular connectivity topochemical index, and eccentric connectivity topochemical index, respectively. Separate models were developed using training set and log P of each analog in the independent test set was predicted using these models. The correlation of predicted log P values with the reported values, for independent test set, were in good agreement with those predicted using LOO procedure.

Box-Behnken Designed Fluconazole Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles for Ocular Delivery

Box-Behnken Designed Fluconazole Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles for Ocular Delivery The present study aimed to develop chitosan nanoparticles containing Fluconazole for ocular delivery using Box-Behnken design. The Fluconazole loaded chitosan nanoparticles were prepared by an ionic gelation method using Sodium tripolyphosphate (NaTPP) as cross linking agent. The effect of the factors - concentration of chitosan (x1), concentration of NaTPP (x2) and volume of NaTPP (x3) was studied on release of drug from nanoparticles. The results revealed that entrapment efficiency was highest at low level of chitosan concentration, high level of NaTPP concentration and low levels of NaTPP volume. The optimized batch (NP 3) showed encapsulation efficiency of 63.1%, particle size of 471 nm, ovoid shape surface morphology and in vitro cumulative percentage of drug release 39.19% in 7 h.

Formulation Development and Evaluation of Alginate Microspheres of Ibuprofen

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of different variables on the release profile of ibuprofen microspheres formulated using modified emulsification method. Eight batches of microspheres (F1-F8) were prepared by applying 2 3 factorial design. The amount of sodium alginate, amount of calcium chloride, and amount of magnesium stearate were selected as formulation variables. All the batches were evaluated in terms of percentage yield, percentage encapsulation efficiency and in vitro release characteristics. The batch F7 was found to be optimum batch and was further characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and particle size analysis. Multiple linear regression was applied to confirm significant effect of each variable on release characteristics. The model developed in the present study can be effectively utilized to achieve the formulation with desired release characteristics.

Predicting Anti-HIV Activity of Dimethylaminopyridin-2-ones: Computational Approach using Topochemical Descriptors

In this study, relationship between the topochemical indices and anti‐HIV activity of dimethylaminopyridin‐2‐ones has been investigated. Three topochemical indices of diverse nature, i.e. Wiener’s topochemical index – a distance‐based topochemical descriptor, molecular connectivity topochemical index – an adjacency based topochemical descriptor and augmented eccentric connectivity topochemical index – an adjacency‐cum‐distance‐based topochemical descriptor, were used for the present investigations. The values of the Wiener’s topochemical index, molecular connectivity topochemical index and augmented eccentric connectivity topochemical index for each of the 103 analogues comprising the data set were computed using an in‐house computer program. Resulting data were analyzed and suitable models were developed after the identification of the active ranges. Subsequently, a biological activity was assigned to each compound using these models, which was then compared with the reported anti‐HIV activity. Statistical significance of proposed models was further investigated using chi‐squared test and intercorrelation analysis. Accuracy of prediction of anti‐HIV activity was found to vary from 81 to 85% using these models.

Product lifecycle management through patents and regulatory strategies

During recent years, expiry of blockbuster patents, short drug lifecycles, rising development costs, heightened health authority scrutiny, dispersing markets, increased competition and need for latest technologies have put the pharmaceutical industry under mounting pressure. Thus, product lifecycle management is a prerequisite for maximizing a product’s lifetime value, improving a company’s product development processes, using product-related information to make better business decisions, and delivering greater value to customers. In order to achieve these goals and develop regulatory strategies for product lifecycle management, the pharmaceutical company should establish an effective lifecycle management team. Incorporating patent lifecycle management in product lifecycle management greatly benefits brand companies as well as specialty pharma, drug delivery, biotech and generic companies. A pharmaceutical product’s life can be described in five distinct phases: development phase, approval phase, introduc...